To recieve a blessing, or not to recieve a blessing?

[white_sheep]

make a spiritual communion.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

That is a very refreshing attitude to have about the Eucharist. I wish more people felt that way.

Isn’t that the truth? I think a lot of people just take it so for granted and feel that if they have been pretty good, not killed anyone, they are “entitled” to receive.

God bless you Charlotte.

 

[PatriceA]

Where did the practice of approaching the priest with one’s arms crossed for a blessing come from?

Probably from the same place that people think its ok to hold hands during the Our Father, to raise up their hands like the priest during the consecration, to have liturgical dancing, etc, etc.

 

[Phemie]

Personally, I don’t see the harm in getting a blessing, after all we are supposed to be one body. Of course though, I will defer to the wisdom in Rome on this matter, and I must be missing something. Can someone tell me why the church is taking this stance.

Often, those who approach the priest for a blessing in the Communion line are the very people the Church has said can’t receive a public blessing (those in invalid marriages, for example) because it implies they are in good standing with the Church.

 

[japhy]

Probably from the same place that people think its ok to hold hands during the Our Father, to raise up their hands like the priest during the consecration, to have liturgical dancing, etc, etc.

Holding hands during the Our Father is not at all comparable to mimicking the gestures of the priest or entering the Communion procession for something other than Communion or injecting dance into the liturgy.

And this comes from a person who does not hold hands, and prefers not to hold hands, during the Our Father.

Speculating about the origin of this or that practice (especially one we don’t like or we shouldn’t use) is dangerous. It often reveals our biases and it gives us a chance to scapegoat people.

It’s just as likely that it began with priests spontaneously blessing babies brought up in their parents’ arms, or at a funeral where non-Catholics were present, or at a Mass where they ran out of Communion and offered blessings to the remaining communicants.

 

[PatriceA]

Holding hands during the Our Father is not at all comparable to mimicking the gestures of the priest or entering the Communion procession for something other than Communion or injecting dance into the liturgy.

And this comes from a person who does not hold hands, and prefers not to hold hands, during the Our Father.

Speculating about the origin of this or that practice (especially one we don’t like or we shouldn’t use) is dangerous. It often reveals our biases and it gives us a chance to scapegoat people.

It’s just as likely that it began with priests spontaneously blessing babies brought up in their parents’ arms, or at a funeral where non-Catholics were present, or at a Mass where they ran out of Communion and offered blessings to the remaining communicants.

A liturgical abuse is a liturgical abuse, it comes from the same place, a priest that allows such practices to form under his watch and does nothing to discourage such practices OR even encourage them in some cases. That is not speculation at all.

 

[Rina_Badal]

You do not need to receive Communion to have fully participated. If you cannot, for whatever reason, receive Communion, so be it.

Yes, I may feel deprived at not being able to receive my Lord, but I’ve still worshipped and praised God which is what Mass is for.

Hi there,
I do not really mean to distract attention from the topic, or ‘hijack the thread’ - Oh, I’m learning new terminology ! But I just couldn’t read these words (underlined) without feeling a ‘sting’ inside.
Our Faith you know Phemie cannot stress enough (is this the right wording?) the significance of receiving the Holy Eucharist, and what the Mass is for. God bless you.
Peace,
Rina

 

[Corki]

Personally, I don’t see the harm in getting a blessing, after all we are supposed to be one body. Of course though, I will defer to the wisdom in Rome on this matter, and I must be missing something. Can someone tell me why the church is taking this stance.

If you feel this is a thread hijack then just let me know and I will post the question elsewhere.

Thanks in advance.

It’s not a question of being one body. It’s about appropriate timing. Would you expect the priest to stop in the middle of the Our Father and give a blessing? Or to add an extra blessing after each reading? No. That’s not the appropriate time for a blessing. And neither is the time during the Communion procession. You could just as easily say, if there was an “ok” for blessings, why only give blessings to those not receiving Communion? Doesn’t everyone deserve a blessing? When the blessings are given out, they are given out to everyone. Not blessings to some and Communion to others.

In this particular case, to go up for a blessing would be to go against the expressed instructions of the pastor and the ongoing practice of that parish. That’s harm enough.

 

[Monica4316]

My Dear Cousin has moved away to another city, and I’m going to visit her this Saturday for her Confirmation. ((YaY ))

She knows at this time I am not recieving Communion and has informed me that in her parish the Priest has told her (and everyone else) that if one is not receiving Communion, they are not to get in line at all.

She says the reasoning the Priest gave her is:

'The Mass itself is a blessing"

IOW, it’s like an auto bless…

This confuses me because at our Parish I always get in line, and the Priest blesses me. Just the thought of going to Mass and not being given at least that little bit, leaves me hungry and sad already. For me, it’s like, at first I was embarrassed, sad, ashamed, etc to make that walk - but I have turned the experience into a form of, IDK penance? Even though I can’t partake at this time, I feel it’s something I have to do, to come to the table…to face Him and myself, my failings.

I understand parishes differ slightly, and I don’t want to cause problems. I’ll go and sit but I’m kinda sad about the thought. Is this okay?

I don’t go up for a blessing when I can’t receive Communion… we are blessed at the end of Mass by the priest it’s the same thing you won’t leave with nothing, the Mass itself gives many graces, and so does the blessing at the end. Praying after the Mass by the Tabernacle is also a great idea, whether or not the person has received Communion (and especially if they have).

God bless

 

[TrueLight]

This reminds me. The other day at my parish, I was at the communion rail and kneeling next to me was a man who was at the end of the rail. So he was first in line to receive.

My eyes were half closed, but I heard the priest say to the man, “communion?" and I looked up and to my right.

I don’t know what the man said. Maybe he shook his head, but the priest moved onto me. No blessing took place.

Which is how it SHOULD be.

The communion line is for those who are going to receive.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

This reminds me. The other day at my parish, I was at the communion rail and kneeling next to me was a man who was at the end of the rail. So he was first in line to receive.

My eyes were half closed, but I heard the priest say to the man, “communion?" and I looked up and to my right.

I don’t know what the man said. Maybe he shook his head, but the priest moved onto me. No blessing took place.

Which is how it SHOULD be.

The communion line is for those who are going to receive.

Did the man think he was going to receive a blessing? I guess he must have, otherwise, why go to the communion rail, only to refuse to receive?

 

[TrueLight]

Did the man think he was going to receive a blessing? I guess he must have, otherwise, why go to the communion rail, only to refuse to receive?

I’m thinking he did. He might not have been a regular visitor.

But I noticed he stayed there for a few more seconds with his eyes closed.

**Edited: **I realize I sound like I was gloating, but I wasn’t at all. Neither was I thinking of CAF. . I was just a bit confused/surprised when it all happened. Then it was my turn and I was receiving and I was lost in a sea of ecstasy.

 

[liturgyluver]

Rome has made it clear that the rules presently in place mean that those who are unable to receive Communion should not present themselves for a blessing at that time. Unfortunately, priests have chosen to ignore that, resulting in situations like yours.

Rome has made no such thing clear. Rome is currently considering the position of whether blessings at communion are permitted. Bishops currently have the jurisdiction to decide whether or not blessings are permitted at communion in their episcopal areas. For example, currently in England and Wales, in France, in Italy and in most parts of Germany they are permitted - actually that is not the right word - they are specifically encouraged. There has been a whole thread on this already.

 

[TrueLight]

Rome has made no such thing clear. Rome is currently considering the position of whether blessings at communion are permitted. Bishops currently have the jurisdiction to decide whether or not blessings are permitted at communion in their episcopal areas. For example, currently in England and Wales, in France, in Italy and in most parts of Germany they are permitted - actually that is not the right word - they are specifically encouraged. There has been a whole thread on this already.

There is also a sticky: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=543513

 

[Charlotte408]

Let’s please not call the altar a table. The Mass is a sacrifice, it pains me to hear it referred to as just a meal. I am thankful for the reference the OP shows toward the sacrament, though. Hearing the Eucharist referred to as it was brings a smile to my face. Such humility. I hope I find that one day.

Oh I apologize, I’m still figuring a lot out as I go along. My RCIA teacher and my Daughter’s catechism papers all sum up the Mass as ‘Thanksgiving’. I’ve always thought of it as ‘celebration’, but I’ve added the idea of it as a Thanksgiving meal to my understanding of it as well.

 

[Charlotte408]

Probably from the same place that people think its ok to hold hands during the Our Father, to raise up their hands like the priest during the consecration, to have liturgical dancing, etc, etc.

That is SO funny you say that I was all sad when they told us not to do that as well.

I guess I just learned it that way and loved it, so Every now and then I still forget and am the only one with my palms up

 

[minkymurph]

My Dear Cousin has moved away to another city, and I’m going to visit her this Saturday for her Confirmation. ((YaY ))

She knows at this time I am not recieving Communion and has informed me that in her parish the Priest has told her (and everyone else) that if one is not receiving Communion, they are not to get in line at all.

She says the reasoning the Priest gave her is:

'The Mass itself is a blessing"

IOW, it’s like an auto bless…

This confuses me because at our Parish I always get in line, and the Priest blesses me. Just the thought of going to Mass and not being given at least that little bit, leaves me hungry and sad already. For me, it’s like, at first I was embarrassed, sad, ashamed, etc to make that walk - but I have turned the experience into a form of, IDK penance? Even though I can’t partake at this time, I feel it’s something I have to do, to come to the table…to face Him and myself, my failings.

I understand parishes differ slightly, and I don’t want to cause problems. I’ll go and sit but I’m kinda sad about the thought. Is this okay?

From reading the posts here, I would say we could debate whether people should or shouldn’t receive a blessing from now until the cows come home, which isn’t much help to you.

If a Parish doesn’t have this practice, they don’t have this practice. You have been invited to your cousin’s Confirmation. There are two choices open to you. Attend, or don’t attend. What you have to ask yourself is, do you want to be there? If you do, you will have to accept the practice of that parish on the day in question.

There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad. Of course one would feel sad. Your guilty of nothing more than being human. I have young children who received a blessing before they were old enough to receive Holy Communion in my parish. I attended Mass in another parish that didn’t have this practice. I didn’t know they didn’t have this practice, I felt really hurt and my kids didn’t understand why they didn’t get a blessing. My younger son has autism and wanted to know, loudly, why he didn’t get a blessing. Not good.

So, I can understand why you feel the way you do. but that won’t change anything. What I would say to you is, at least your cousin has informed you in advance. You know not to join the line and you can prepare for that. In addition, it’s one day, one Mass in your life. I would go and just suck it up on the day.

 

[Corki]

Oh I apologize, I’m still figuring a lot out as I go along. My RCIA teacher and my Daughter’s catechism papers all sum up the Mass as ‘Thanksgiving’. I’ve always thought of it as ‘celebration’, but I’ve added the idea of it as a Thanksgiving meal to my understanding of it as well.

Hopefully, those materials also teach that the primary action of the Mass is a sacrifice. We even refer formally to the Mass as the “Sacrifice of the Mass”.

 

[Charlotte408]

Hopefully, those materials also teach that the primary action of the Mass is a sacrifice. We even refer formally to the Mass as the “Sacrifice of the Mass”.

They do. And I was thinking about the whole ‘Thanksgiving’ bit last night, all the reasons that they’ve given us for referring to it as such.

Treading lightly as to not speak too casually about the subject, because it is such a beautiful thing…

Why couldn’t the Altar also be thought of as ‘The Lord’s Table’? The Priest is acting in lieu of Christ, at the table, breaking the bread/altar, making the sacrifice…We are all coming up to it, to eat and share in it with Him. There are all sorts of comparisions you could make, I’m not so sure why that would be too lax speak of the Altar.

 

[Corki]

They do. And I was thinking about the whole ‘Thanksgiving’ bit last night, all the reasons that they’ve given us for referring to it as such.

Treading lightly as to not speak too casually about the subject, because it is such a beautiful thing…

**Why couldn’t the Altar also be thought of as ‘The Lord’s Table’? **The Priest is acting in lieu of Christ, at the table, breaking the bread/altar, making the sacrifice…We are all coming up to it, to eat and share in it with Him. There are all sorts of comparisions you could make, I’m not so sure why that would be too lax speak of the Altar.

Because the meal part of the Mass doesn’t happen at the altar. The altar is for the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass. We don’t reverence the altar because of the meal but because of the Sacrifice. The meal part of the Mass is when we receive Communion and that is not at the altar.